Bristol Marsh Heritage Conservancy
The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) protects and restores the natural and built environments through innovation, collaboration, education and advocacy. PEC believes in the value of partnerships with the private sector, government, communities and individuals to improve the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians. 2
Greening the Greenway: Ecological Restoration Along the Trail Add more Green to the Greenway Enhance public use and enjoyment of land/water trails Restore fish/wildlife habitat on adjacent waterways and uplands
Agenda Why Green? Where to Green? Prioritizing Ecological Restoration Opportunities Case Studies Philadelphia Area Opportunities on the Bensalem Greenway Funding Sources
People Enjoy Green
Nature is good for us and has both long and short term mental and physical health benefits. American Society of Landscape Architects https://www.asla.org/healthbenefitsofnature.aspx https://dirt.asla.org/2016/02/02/we-must-better-communicate-the-health-benefits-of-nature/
Habitat for Fish and Wildlife Atlantic Coastal Plain forest Freshwater tidal wetlands Delaware River and shoreline Tributary streams Threatened, endangered, and special concern plants in each habitat
Where will the trail go; get property, route, actual path Priorities Think about the greening and related benefits Recreation Health Habitat Viewscape Shading Security and safety
Agenda Why Green? Where to Green? Prioritizing Ecological Restoration Opportunities Case Studies Philadelphia Area Opportunities on the Bensalem Greenway Funding Sources
Where to Green Green directly adjacent to trail Rain gardens, trees/shrubs, vegetated bump outs Greening along the trail corridor Riparian buffer, trees and shrubs Green Parks Nodes Including Restoring Brownfields Intertidal wetlands, forest/meadows, palustrine wetlands, recreational space
Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Indiana Greening Directly Adjacent to Trail
Murfreesboro Greenway System; Stones River and Lytle Creek Trails, Tennessee Greening Along Trail Corridor www.visitsouth.com/2016/01/14/murfreesboro-tennessee-greenway-system/
Greening Along Trail Corridor Little Sugar Creek Greenway, North Charlotte, North Carolina 2006 2012 Mecklenburg County, NC
Wildcat Creek Restoration and Greenway Trail, City of San Pablo, CA Greening Along Trail Corridor Restoration Design Group
Lardner's Point Park Greening Parks and Restoring Brownfields
Agenda Why Green? Where to Green? Prioritizing Ecological Restoration Opportunities Case Studies Philadelphia Area Opportunities on the Bensalem Greenway Funding Sources
Habitat Restoration Types Uplands Plant trees/shrubs Enhance forest lands Create meadows Stream bank Planting Regrade and plant Off channel aquatic Wetlands in upland matrix Backchannels, floodplains and wetlands Intertidal shoreline Enhance/create wetlands (fringe) Soften, regrade, or excavate bank Marsh sill or breakwater Subtidal Enhance structure and diversity
Shoreline and Bank Protection Options
Living Shoreline: A method of shoreline stabilization that protects the coast from erosion while also preserving or enhancing environmental conditions. From Kurt Cheng, PDE, 10/12/2017 Presentation 19
Lardner's Point Living Shoreline
Restoration Design Group Wildcat Creek Restoration and Greenway Trail, City of San Pablo, CA Greening Along Trail Corridor
Fort Washington Park Flood Plain Back Channel
Upper Dublin Township Trail trees and green stormwater management
Reports can be downloaded at http://pecpa.org/drwi Scroll down to Tidal Delaware River Restoration to see report download buttons.
Prioritization Criteria Habitat: Parcel size Diversity of vegetation Natural resource features Connectivity Riverbank (vegetated, armored, stable) Intertidal (vegetated, protected) Site Wide: Landowner interest Contaminant potential Accessibility Ability to maintain Recreational: Public access Habitat Uplift
Consult Background Resources Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program Interactive Map Pennsylvania Natural Areas Inventory Updates Open Space and Greenways Plans River Conservation Plans Waterfront Revitalization and Master Plans Comprehensive Plans Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory (PNDI) Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan
Use Google Earth Riverbank vegetation Score of 1 (Spotty or no trees/shrubs) Score of 3 (extensive shoreline cover)
Riverbank (armored) Score of 1 (75-100% bulkhead/riprap) Score of 3 (lower armoring; 0 to 25%)
Natural resource features Score of 1 (limited to turf/forest patches) Score of 3 (high value; wetlands, mature forest)
River Front and Upland Parcels Glen Foerd Bucks County Park/Station Ave Neshaminy State Park
Agenda Why Green? Where to Green? Prioritizing Ecological Restoration Opportunities Case Studies Philadelphia Area Opportunities on the Bensalem Greenway Funding Sources
Central Delaware River Trail, Philadelphia
Delaware River Waterfront Corporation
Spring Garden Street Greenway Plan
Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Indiana 500 new street trees 25,400 ft2 of stormwater planters. Reducing stormwater runoff rate and volume Stormwater Planters Reduce water pollution 8-mile bike and pedestrian path Indianapolis Cultural Trail Inc
Riverfront North Partnership
North Delaware Riverfront Greenway Riverfront North Partnership Port Richmond Trail
Background Opened in October, 2013 Part of East Coast Greenway 30 wide x 1.6 mile linear open space & trail Pulaski Park clean-up 200+ trees, 1800 native grasses & shrubs Weekly bed maintenance Riverfront North Partnership
North Delaware Riverfront Greenway Greenway Stewardship Riverfront North Partnership K&T Trail
Background Opened Trail in 2017 Links 3 open space/park spaces 1.1 mile trail (Phase 1) Links Lardner s Point Park to Frankford Boat Launch (±12 acres) New 4.5 acres of open space along river New 3 acre open space parcel on the river 80 trees, 1200 shrubs, 3300 grasses Frankford Boat Launch Lardner s Point Park Riverfront North Partnership
North Delaware Riverfront Greenway Greenway Stewardship Lardner s Point Park Riverfront North Partnership Lardner s Point Park
Background Trailhead Park opened Spring 2012 Restroom facility, picnic areas, drinking fountain, trails, fishing pier Restored Ecological Resource 7 habitat zones Coastal Plain Forest, Wet and Dry Meadows & Scrub-shrubs, High and Low Freshwater Tidal Marshes Shoreline and upland restoration projects 100 native plant species Active Monitoring Athos 5-year monitoring Weekly work days Riverfront North Partnership
Lardner s Point Park Before Restoration After Restoration PlanPhilly Eyes on the Street photos
Lardner's Point During Construction
Lardner s Point Park Physical Condition Transformed to fringe wetlands plus restored uplands Biohabitats
Background 2015 DCNR/PRPS Green Park of the Year Riverfront North Partnership
Rec Center Bridesburg Neighborhood National Grid Bridesburg Outboard Club PIDC
PIDC
Option C, full restoration 3 Acres Enhanced Wetlands 12.5 Acres Restored Upland Cost: $3.3 Million
Design by: Locus Partners Parks and Recreation Riverfront North Bridesburg Residents Locus Partners
Parcel 24 ~ 1 acre
Parcel 25 ~2.8 acres
Mondauk Park Trail - Meadow and Woodlands
Route 202 Parkway Trail meadows, shrubs, green stormwater management
202 Parkway Trail Stormwater BMPs Bioretention Infiltration trenches Vegetated swales Riparian plantings Volume control basins. Vegetated islands Extensive native plantings. Urban Engineers
Agenda Why Green? Where to Green? Prioritizing Ecological Restoration Opportunities Case Studies on Philadelphia s Greenway North Opportunities on the Bensalem Greenway Funding Sources
Bensalem Greenway Ecological Assessment and Prioritization Study December 2017
Bensalem Greenway Part of the East Coast Greenway 3000 mile trail from Maine to Florida Bensalem Greenway is missing link
Bensalem Greenway A spine trail and community amenity from Bristol to Philadelphia Targeted for revitalization
Glen Foerd Bucks County Park/Station Ave Neshaminy State Park River Front and Upland Parcels
Neshaminy State Park Neshaminy State Park Wetland expansion and Delaware River shoreline restoration
Neshaminy State Park
Restoration at Jack s Marina Site
Neshaminy State Park
Neshaminy State Park
Neshaminy State Park
Andalusia and Bucks County Park Enhance Atlantic Coastal Plan Forest
Wetland delineation Locate trail on Bucks County Park and Andalusia Foundation lands
Wetland delineation by AD Marble Trail Design by Gilmore & Associates
State and Street Road Wetlands Green Gate Way to Bensalem Waterfront
Bucks County Park Shoreline Potential Delaware River living shoreline restoration
Agenda Why Green? Where to Green? Prioritizing Ecological Restoration Opportunities Case Studies on Philadelphia s Greenway North Opportunities on the Bensalem Greenway Funding Sources
Project Funders
Schuylkill Action Network Grants Page
Paul Racette Program Manager - Watersheds Pennsylvania Environmental Council Southeast Office 1315 Walnut Street, Ste. 532 Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-545-4570 x112 www.pecpa.org